Julian Assange

Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, was born on July 3, 1971, in Townsville, Queensland, Australia.

In 1987, at the age of 16, Julian Assange became a skilled hacker under the pseudonym Mendax, known for his ethical hacking practices and sharing of information.

Julian Assange founded WikiLeaks in 2006 as a platform to release sensitive or classified documents. The first publication in December 2006 included a message from a Somali rebel leader advocating the assassination of government officials.

In December 2007, Julian Assange found key supporters at the Chaos Computer Club conference in Berlin, including Daniel Domscheit-Berg and Jacob Appelbaum. This event marked a significant moment in the early stages of WikiLeaks.

Julian Assange won the 2009 Amnesty International New Media Award for his collaboration with the Sunday Times journalist Jon Swain on a report on political killings in Kenya. This recognition increased public awareness of WikiLeaks' publications.

WikiLeaks releases a leaked video showing a U.S. helicopter air strike that resulted in civilian casualties in Baghdad, including the deaths of two Reuters news staff.

WikiLeaks publishes over 91,000 secret U.S. military reports related to the Afghanistan war, shedding light on various aspects of the conflict.

A Swedish court issues an arrest warrant for Julian Assange over rape allegations, leading to his subsequent arrest in Britain and a legal battle for extradition.

On September 2, 2011, Australia's attorney general, Robert McClelland, stated that the US diplomatic cables published by Wikileaks identified at least one ASIO officer, which was considered a crime in Australia. McClelland expressed concerns about the lack of redaction in the documents that could endanger individuals and national security.

After losing his final appeal against extradition, Julian Assange seeks refuge in Ecuador's embassy in London, where he remains for several years to avoid extradition.

On June 19, 2012, Julian Assange applied for political asylum at the Ecuadorian embassy in London. This decision was influenced by concerns about extradition to the United States and marked the beginning of his extended stay at the embassy.

On August 16, 2012, Ecuador announced that it was granting Julian Assange political asylum due to the perceived threat from a secret US investigation. This decision provided Assange with protection from potential extradition and prolonged his stay at the embassy.

On 19th August 2012, Julian Assange appears on the Ecuadorian embassy balcony, calling for an end to the US government's pursuit of WikiLeaks.

In June 2013, Julian Assange expressed concerns that the US was moving to extradite him. Despite the withdrawal of the arrest warrant for sex offence claims, he stated that he would not leave the embassy.

Julian Assange appeared via video link at a town hall meeting in Auckland while campaigning for Kim Dotcom. He discussed the 'Operation Speargun' surveillance program and how he was targeted by it.

The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention supports Julian Assange's legal team's appeal, declaring that Assange is being 'arbitrarily detained' at the embassy.

Julian Assange tweets that he will agree to US extradition if President Obama grants clemency to Chelsea Manning, despite the unconstitutionality of the Department of Justice case.

The government formally asks the UN to review its 'deeply flawed' conclusion that Assange is being 'arbitrarily detained'.

The new US Attorney General, Jeff Sessions, declares that arresting Julian Assange is a top priority.

After years of legal battles, Sweden's prosecutor announces the dropping of the rape case against Julian Assange, stating that all possibilities to conduct the investigation are exhausted.

On June 6, 2017, Julian Assange expressed solidarity with NSA leaker Reality Winner, who had been arrested recently. Assange's tweet emphasized the importance of encouraging non-elite sources to share information.

Ecuador confirms Sweden has put in a formal request to enter the embassy and interview Assange.

Sweden's court of appeal receives an appeal that argues it must comply with the UN assertion that Assange is being illegally deprived of his liberty.

On August 16, 2017, US Congressman Dana Rohrabacher visited Julian Assange and reportedly discussed a potential pardon from President Trump in exchange for denying Russian involvement in the 2016 DNC email leaks.

Former UKIP leader Nigel Farage is claimed to have been making secret trips to the embassy to visit Julian Assange. It is alleged that he slipped a USB stick containing data to Assange. The claim was made by Fusion GPS boss Glenn Simpson.

Following the withdrawal of asylum by Ecuador on April 11, 2019, British police entered the embassy and arrested Julian Assange. Despite no longer being under investigation in Sweden, he faced charges in the UK and an extradition request from the United States for computer-related offenses.

Assange appears at Westminster Magistrates Court via videolink from Belmarsh Prison to fight extradition to the US over allegations of conspiring to break into a Pentagon computer. He defends his actions as journalism that has received awards.

Actress Pamela Anderson expresses her love and support for Assange after meeting him at Belmarsh prison. She advocates for his release, stating he is innocent and does not deserve to be in a super-max prison.

On May 23, 2019, a US grand jury added 17 espionage charges against Julian Assange, bringing the total federal charges to 18. These charges were related to Assange's involvement with Chelsea Manning and WikiLeaks, escalating the legal pressure on him.

On June 20, 2019, El Pais revealed the existence of surveillance recordings and reports about Julian Assange conducted by UC Global in the Ecuadorian embassy. This revelation brought to light the extensive monitoring of Assange's activities.

Assange appeared for a case management hearing at the court where he expressed concerns about the unfair advantages the prosecution had over him due to their unlimited resources and access to his writings.

A court hears that President Trump allegedly offered Julian Assange a pardon in exchange for denying Russian involvement in the leak of Democratic Party emails.

Julian Assange faces an extradition hearing at Woolwich Crown Court where his legal team argues against his extradition to the US for what they claim are 'political offences' based on a 2003 treaty.

Amid the coronavirus crisis, Julian Assange appears via video link at Westminster Magistrates' Court where he is denied bail.

Assange appeared in court facing an espionage indictment with 18 counts. He was warned by Judge Baraitser not to interrupt proceedings.

Judge Baraitser ruled that Assange could not be extradited to the United States due to concerns about his mental health and the risk of suicide in a US prison.

Julian Assange wins the initial phase of his Supreme Court appeal against a ruling allowing his extradition to the US.

Julian Assange is refused the right to appeal the High Court's decision from December 2021 to extradite him to the US, as confirmed by the Supreme Court.

Julian Assange ties the knot with his partner at Belmarsh prison, with their children and family members present. The bride wears a gown by Dame Vivienne Westwood.

Assange's legal team initiates a last legal attempt to prevent his extradition to the United States at the High Court in Britain.

On March 26, 2024, a UK court ruled that Julian Assange cannot be extradited to the US on espionage charges until the US rules out the death penalty.